Couple Who Runs Charming ‘Big Bakery’ Was Invited To Meet PM Lawrence Wong But Declined. Why?

They start work at 4.30am, six days a week. The early hour, says Li Hin, is to cater for their blue-collar customer base made up of mostly factory workers on the morning shift. “They start coming to our shop at 5.30am,” he shares.

Li Hin and Candy price their wares at below $2 for a bun, retro-style fish fillet burger, a slice of chiffon cake, or nostalgic piped cookies decorated with a crimson maraschino cherry. They are also well-loved for their excellent custard puffs and egg tarts, delightful fruit tarts, fluffy sugar rolls and butter cakes.

“We are in an industrial area. The workers need buns that don’t cost more than a dollar plus each to fill up their tummies,” Candy shares.

For Chinese New Year, she also churns out festive tidbits. “Some of our customers grew up eating our CNY goodies. When they moved overseas for studies, some of them asked their parents to send them our cookies because they missed it,” she says.

Big Bakery name given by ACRA officer

Her bakery is spacious, but the ‘Big’ in its name actually has an interesting origin. In the 90s, Candy and Li Hin had started their shop with a business partner. “We called it Serena Bakery, after our partner,” shares Candy.

The opening coincided with the construction of Tai Seng MRT station on the upcoming Circle Line, which disrupted footfall. “Our bakery wasn’t earning money after the MRT construction started, so our partner didn’t want to continue with it,” Candy explains. When their partner pulled out, the couple decided to take over the bakery.

Not knowing how to speak or write in English, Candy and Li Hin were stumped when they went to ACRA (the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority) to register their shop. “We didn’t know what to name our bakery. The ACRA officer suggested, ‘How about Big Bakery? It sounds grand for a business’. I said, ‘Oh I know this word! Big! Okay!’ ABC is also three alphabets, so why not B-I-G?” says Candy excitedly.

Invited to meet PM Lawrence Wong

Last year, when ACRA held a commemorative event to mark their merger with the Singapore Accountancy Commission and Accounting Standards Council, an ACRA rep approached Candy and Li Hin to showcase their baked goods at the celebration. The event was graced by then-DPM Lawrence Wong.

Candy recalls: “[The ACRA staff] told me that DPM Lawrence Wong would be there, and it was a good chance for us to promote our business. They even offered to cover our sales for the day so we could close our shop and attend the event.” 

But husband and wife eventually declined the invitation for a humble reason. “We thought about it, but better not lah. We aren’t the kind of people who can make conversation with VIPs. And we don't have anything presentable to wear. I have no idea how to buy make-up, clothes or skincare. I only know how to buy 4D!” Candy chortles.

She recalls visiting a furniture shop with her husband when looking to furnish their home: “The salesperson didn’t want to attend to us [because of how we looked]. But we ended up buying a lot of things. We are always dressed simply. We wear shorts every day. People say, ‘Eh auntie, why you wear hot pants every day?’ I said, ‘Because it’s hot lah!’”.

But it appears that PM Wong may have gotten to sample Big Bakery’s goodies after all. “ACRA still ordered our tarts and crumble pies for their event. I didn’t ask if PM got to try them, though. I only know how to bake!” Candy says merrily.

When asked what she would recommend PM Wong to try from her bakery, Candy replies thoughtfully: “I have never spoken to him, so I’m not sure about his personal taste. But he’s Western-educated, right? Maybe he wouldn't like things that are too sweet!”

Due to their language barrier, the couple can’t quite articulate what occasions they were invited for beyond vague descriptions. But they can remember the dates given very well. "Don't tell Uncle your bank account password, he will remember it for life," Candy cautions.

She tells us they were also invited to “an event in May” this year and that “DPM Lawrence Wong would become the PM”. They decided not to take part, for the same reasons they gave earlier.

Rare nostalgic bakes in Singapore 

Both Candy and Li Hin were formally trained in baking. “Uncle went to Taiwan in 1986 to learn how to bake. He started working at 12 ’cos his family wasn’t well-off. The coffeeshop didn’t want to hire him, so he sought work at a bakery instead. I’m originally from Taiping in Malaysia, and moved here to study at a culinary school out of interest,” Candy says. Li Hin adds: "In the past, we were grateful if anyone wanted to employ us."

In his youth, he also apprenticed with a Hong Kong pastry chef, who taught the couple how to make their now famous crumble pies. “He helped us at our bakery before he retired,” says Candy, who used to be a dim sum chef at The Westin Singapore hotel.

The couple takes a lot of pride in making their crumble pies, even foisting a free slice of apple pie on us when we foolishly skipped it as an anonymous customer. “You must try! This is our signature!” Candy screeched as Li Hin packed the freshly-baked slice in a box.

Don't leave Big Bakery without buying crumble pie

Verdict: even though this writer is typically not a fan of crumble, Big Bakery’s homely crumble apple pie is indeed very good, with a toasty buttery crust and aromatic cinnamon-y apple filling. Consider us a convert: none of the flavours here are duds. And at just $2.80 a slice with unusual options like pineapple and banana, this is one underrated gem.

Planning to retire

But don’t say we didn’t warn you: Candy has expressed that she plans to retire once she finds someone to take over her bakery. “I’m tired. If anyone wants to take over, I will teach them how to bake and let go,” she shares. “I don’t have written recipes. Everything is in my head!”

On running a bakery resiliently

Over the years, husband-and-wife have weathered major downturns that have tanked other less resilient businesses. “We languished here for 10 years until the MRT station was completed,” Candy says.

And when the Covid-19 pandemic hit, she “couldn’t sleep well every day” worrying about sales. “But fortunately we had orders from temples, churches and old folks’ homes, so we managed to get by,” she shares.

Home for Candy and Li Hin is a five-room flat in Lorong Ah Soo, which they have fully paid off. To cut overhead costs, they also did away with air-conditioning in their shop. “As long as we are hardworking, we aren’t afraid of starving. We’re just afraid of falling ill,” Candy comments.

Her very simple goal in life, she says, is to “just earn enough for two meals a day”. Why two meals? She laughs loud and long. “Aiyah, Auntie wants to diet lah. Too heavy and the pressure will make my legs hurt! Hahaha!”

Big Bakery is at 99 Upper Paya Lebar Rd, S534825. Tel: 6383-2510. Open daily except Sun. Mon-Fri 5.30am-6pm, Sat 10am-3pm.

Photos: Roy Yap

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